Born on Jan. 19, 1942, in Menominee, Michigan, Eugene Michael Smiltneck (aka Gene Michaels) was the son and first child of Arnold Joseph Smiltneck and Marian Elizabeth Hafeman Smiltneck of Menominee County. Gene passed away on Feb. 16, 2026.
As a child, Gene was active and curious, especially excelling in music and football. Early on, he also took a keen interest in turn-of-the century entrepreneurs such as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Like them, he loved experimenting with inventions and new ideas for enterprises.
In the late 1950s as a student at Menominee High School, Gene started a rock band called the Vikings. He was also an all-state football player, recruited to play college ball at Western Michigan University.
More than once during his teens, Gene landed in the hospital with a broken nose or fractured bone from a football game, only to hurry back to the gym to play his bass guitar in his band for the Friday night sock hop.
Over his lifetime, Gene took on dozens of entrepreneurial careers, including musician, booking agent, event planner, entertainment provider, limousine service provider, real estate agent and insurance agent.
He developed a home inspection and home improvement business in Wisconsin before moving to California to try his hand at Hollywood talent management.
When he was nearing age 80, Gene launched one of the most meaningful careers of his lifetime when he obtained a three-year contract with the government to help people without homes in Santa Barbara.
One of many programs Gene introduced involved transportation for people who did not own cars. He located dozens of used bikes to enable his clients to get to work and other activities.
He not only procured many used two-wheelers, he also had them repaired by a friend, painted and decorated before passing them on to their proud, new owners.
Gene was preceded in death by both his parents Marian Hafeman Smiltneck and Arnold Smiltneck, and by his brother Leon Smiltneck.
He is survived by his sister Susan and her husband John Maciak of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Janis Smiltneck of Battle Creek, Michigan, and Julie Michaels of Menominee.
He leaves his wife of the past 30 years, Pat Michaels (Rupiper Dieck), along with four adult children from his earlier marriage to Lynn Dee La Pointe: Darla Diamantte of Escanaba, Michigan, Jo Ellen Lusardi (Jim) of Sobieski, Wisconsin, Kerry Delgoffe (Steve) of Menominee, and Robin Michaels of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin.
Gene is also survived by his two step-children Andrea Dieck Wagner (Jamey) of Santa Barbara, and John Dieck of Irvine, California.
Gene leaves his grandchildren: Brooke Delgoffe of Spencer, Wisconsin; Courtney Borgnakke (Bo) of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Natalie Delgoffe of Las Vegas, Nevada; Alexa Diamante (Cole) of Honolulu, Hawaii; Hannah Dieck-Hensley (Sebastian) of Berkeley, California; Ash Wagner of Oakland, California; Em Wagner of Portland, Oregon; Tyler Dieck of Orinda, California’ Paige Dieck of Broomfield, Colorado; and Carson Dieck of Irvine, California; plus three great-grandchildren.